Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

Redskins Nation is a half-hour show devoted to giving fans unfiltered access to the day's events at Redskins Park. Hosted by Larry Michael, the show features Redskins players, coaches and sit-down interviews with team officials. (Show re-airs at 11:30 p.m/7:30 a.m. daily)

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Sunday’s game in Toronto will pit two competitors against one another that have met many times before.

The Rogers Centre will be just the latest scene of the classic rivalry between John Beck and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The last time that Beck and Fitzpatrick squared off on the same playing field, both were backup quarterbacks for the Dolphins and Bengals, respectively. The time before that, may have been in high school football in Pheonix, Ariz. Or perhaps in community league swim team.

“I think it started off with swimming, to be honest,” Fitzpatrick told the media, about the way he met Beck. “[Beck]’s a year older than I am and I have two older brothers that are twins who are a year-and-a-half older than I am, so he was in between us. We grew up playing sports against each other.”

Beck confirmed the story during his own media session today, noting the similarities between their professional paths as well.

“Ryan and I actually grew up together,” he said. “We’ve known each other since we were seven years old, eight years old. I’m really happy to see his success, but there [similarity] is because I know his story that he just kept working and, at one point, he was out of football and then he got picked up by the Cincinnati Bengals and played in I believe 12 games or 13 games for them that year. It’s just a good example – if you keep working, good things can happen.”

Beck is seeking his own success story this Sunday, still in pursuit of his first professional win as a starter. The man on the field who best understand’s Beck’s path to this point may be Fitzpatrick.

“[Beck]’s definitely a competitor,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think quarterback was always what he wanted to do.”

“I do remember that he was really good at backstroke though,” he added.

That’s Beck-stroke, to you. He could have been the next Michael Phelps, before Michael Phelps.

“I think that’s the main thing,” Fitzpatrick said jokingly. “When he was nine or 10 years old, I think he was maybe the best backstroker in the state.”

10 Responses
to “Beck, Fitzpatrick, And A Very Old Rivalry”

John Beck can be very successful (ala Theismann). For him, I would like to see more roll outs, boot legs and draws. Young Shanny should also input more hurry up offense. Young Beck also needs to often (ala Theismann) pump fake, pump fake, pump fake and pump fake!

we the skins fans,a.k.a redskins nation are so hungry for some better than below average quaterback play from our qb’s i mean we sufferd for so long with stagnant lack luster non mobile or non willing to run(j cambell)qb’s in washington that we get moist in our boxers when we see a qb who is able to roll out and make throws on the run in a redskin jersey,its sad but true and to be honest it makes me have a slight since of security when i see beck under the center because i know that we have an opportunity to keep a play alive via becks legs if the play breaks down or recievers make a mistake, john beck looked a little nervous against the panthers and shanahann tried to calm his nerves by pressing the issue to run,but i think shanahann will open up alot more of what beck does best as far as rolling out and play action boots and allowing the offense to make big plays down the field once beck gets rythem and consistency with the recievers and a steady game enviorment the skins offensive points per game will increase and our chances of winning those close games should increase as well, rex won us 3 games i aint mad at that but im oficially pro beck right now and the remainder of our season rides on him……so niles paul,terrance austin,and mr miami u himself leonard hankerson needs to step it up and show the redskins nation that they deserve to be on the football field let alone the nfl,because quite frankly there is a new wave of fans out here in DC and we starting to have no patience for constant losing and losing seasons,SO TO MIKE KYLE BRUCE AND MR SNYDER NO MORE SMALL TALK NO MORE MONDAY MORNING EXCUSES NO MORE “WE JUST GOTTA FIND WAYS TO WIN” INTERVIEWS ANY MORE JUST GIVE US RESULTS OR PREPARE FOR A RIOT (AND BY RIOT I MEAN TP THE WHOLE FED EX FIELD…..DAMN THATS ALOT OF TISSUE).

hey mark glad u agree with me and feel my pain man, its just seriously time for a complete team offense and defense we need to start putting up 24 plus points a game just to give ourselves a shot to win more games and be a playoff contention championship calibur team year in and year out.

me too Ron B. I think with the COST of going to an NFL game is so high THE FANS SHOULD GET AT LEAST THE TREAT OF LOSING BUT IN A VERY CLOSE & WILL TO WIN ATTITUDE ( BY THE SKINS ) EVEN IF THEY LOSE . !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not getting blown out in the first half by a team with a worse record & especially at fed-ex ( eagles after bye at fed-ex ). sorry to harp BRIAN but facts ARE FACTS lol beat bills skins

yeah jim horath u too feel my pain and anguish of being a victim of the cursed love that we have for our team it seems like the skins are on a constant cycle of looking like we have a team with potential playoff calibur skills but then when mid season hits we end up looking like the 4th place team in the nfc east that weve got so accustomed to being….DEAR MR SNIDER WHEN WILL CHANGE EVER TRULEY COME……………?